The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

From the publisher:
Nothing gets our attention like an unmade decision: Should I accept the new position? Which schooling choice is best for my kids? How can I support my aging parents? When we have a decision to make and the answer isn't clear, what we want more than anything is peace, clarity, and a nudge in the right direction. 

If you have trouble making decisions, because of either chronic hesitation you've always lived with or a more recent onset of decision fatigue, Emily P. Freeman offers a fresh way of practicing familiar but often forgotten advice: simply do the next right thing. With this simple, soulful practice, it is possible to clear the decision-making chaos, quiet the fear of choosing wrong, and find the courage to finally decide without regret or second-guessing.

Whether you're in the midst of a major life transition or are weary of the low-grade anxiety that daily life can bring, Emily helps create space for your soul to breathe so you can live life with God at a gentle pace and discern your next right thing in love.
___________________________________

Emily P. Freeman speaks straight to my heart.  Her way of writing is as peaceful as her voice on her podcast, which is also called The Next Right Thing.  

This is a beautiful hardcover book that's subtitle is "A Simple, Soulful Practice for making Life Decisions."  Each of the twenty-four chapters is a way to take a deep breathe and figure out the next-right thing in your life.  I love how you don't need to rush through this book.  You can read one chapter a week and really soak in and put into practice the things from the chapter.  Nothing about Emily's writing is judgmental or demeaning.  Instead she speaks life and strength into your life so that you can do the next right thing in your own life.  

This is a beautiful book that can be for yourself and a gift for every friend you have.  We all have times where we don't know what to do next, where we are trying to figure out how to make a decision.  This book is exactly for that.  And even when you aren't making a decision this book gives you a place for your heart and soul to take note for when you will need to make a decision.

I received the book from the publisher (and also bought one for myself!) All opinions are my own.

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

This is a new cover for a best-selling book by Sarah Young. 

Jesus Calling is a 365 daily devotional written as if Jesus Himself is writing to you.  Each day there are the words written to you and scripture to go along with them.  This is a beautiful way to remember that the words of the Bible aren't just words for some day long ago but are fresh and for you and I today. 

The new soft hard cover is beautiful.  The larger print makes it more accessible to many readers.  No matter your age this can be a book that can bring an additional comfort to ones devotional time.

I received this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Driftwood Bay by Irene Hannon

From the publisher:
After tragedy robs her of everyone she loves, Jeannette Mason retreats to the tiny Oregon seaside town of Hope Harbor to create a new life. Vowing to avoid emotional attachments, she focuses on running her lavender farm and tea-room--until a new neighbor with a destructive dog and a forlorn little girl invades her turf. But she needn't worry. Dr. Logan West is too busy coping with an unexpected family, a radical lifestyle change, and an unruly pup to have any interest in his aloof and disagreeable neighbor.

Yet when both Jeanette and Logan find themselves pulled into the life of a tattered Christian family fleeing persecution in war-torn Syria, might they discover that love sometimes comes calling when it's least expected?
_________________________________________

Irene Hannon brings readers back to the beloved town of Hope Harbor.  This book will draw you to a town you may or may not have read about.  However, you don't need to read the other books to read this one.  Jeannette Mason is going to draw you in as she deals with her own pain and grief.  Logan's character is one that you will find yourself relating to as he enters a family situation and hilarious neighbor.  Beyond just these two characters you will find that this sweet story digs deeper into the hard things that are even now consuming our world.  The refugees and their story will challenge the way you think and feel.  

The beautiful town and natural characters will draw you in and leave you happy to have read this book.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Edge of Over There by Shawn Smucker

From the publisher:

Before the Tree of Life, everything in Abra Miller's life had been predictable. But after the Tree and the lightning and the angels, everything felt tenuous, like holding a soap bubble in the palm of her hand. She spent years looking for signs of that other world, waiting for it to break through. When it didn't, her friendship with Sam Chambers grew cold and distant, and they both wondered how any of it could actually have happened.

Four years later, 16-year-old Abra's long-delayed quest to find the next manifestation of the Tree of Life is renewed when she sees a woman walking up the road--a woman who looks exactly like Sam's dead mother. The woman directs her to New Orleans where she will find the grave of Marie Laveau, one of seven gateways between this world and Over There. As Abra enters The Edge of Over There and begins her pursuit of the Tree once more, she doesn't know whom to fear or whom to trust. But she's starting to think that some doorways should never be opened.

______________________________________________________

This book had an interesting premise and I was excited to read it.  However, as the story progressed it felt like the book was taking  a lot of liberties. This is supposedly Biblical fiction but it felt like far from that.  If you like science-fiction and don't try to associate as a Christian novel then perhaps you can enjoy it.  That being said, I haven't read the first book.  The writer is talented, but I wish that this had not been written as Christian fiction.  Instead just do the book as fiction.

I received this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own. 

Made for This by Jennie Allen

If you have heard or read Jennie Allen before you will enjoy this book.  And if you never have read her before this is a great place to start!  This is a blend of two of her best loved books Anything and Restless.  But don't worry that this is just a copy and paste type of book.  Instead you will find new format and layout and fresh stories of how this has worked and impacted others. 

This is a beautiful journal-like edition with workbook graphics to help bring it all together.  This book will help you go surrender to God and ask Him what your purpose is.  This is a great book for yourself or to give as a gift. 

I highly recommend this book.

I received this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley

From the publisher:

Carly Smith came by her trust issues honestly. A victim of sex trafficking, she's been at the mercy of merciless men, ignored by law enforcement officers who should have helped her, and seemingly rejected by her family. She can't even trust herself to do the right thing. Though she escaped her captors and is working hard on building a new life, the past continues to haunt her when she discovers that the man she couldn't bring herself to report to police for fear of reliving her captivity is still out there, luring vulnerable girls under the guise of being a modeling agent.

When her own niece is kidnapped, Carly must overcome her fears and come forward with the information she has before it's too late. When that proves to be not enough, she'll have to go after the perpetrators herself.

____________________________

This is the fourth book in the Memphis Cold Case series.  However, it can be read alone. Which is good, since I haven't read any of the other books.

This is a book that will keep you turning the pages.  A warning that there is violence and some hard topics to read.  However, as the book deals with human trafficking the characters and situations focus on redemption, rebuilding trust, and forgiveness.  I really enjoyed the way the book dealt with needing justice but also needing to rebuild lives.  I think many readers will be drawn into Carly's story and be inspired to do something in their own lives to help others in situations like those in the book.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Daughters of the Northern Shore by Joanne Bischof

From the publisher:

Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.

Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s—which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.

____________________________________

This is the sequel to Sons of Blackbird Mountain but there is enough backstory in this book that you don't have to read the first book to understand the story line.  Bischof does an outstanding job of describing the setting of the various stages of this story.  I love reading her writing. It is exquisite to read. You feel as if you are in the story partaking of the emotional impact as each event occurs.  

I enjoyed the family scenes and the bonding of the brothers and sisters-in-laws.  The problem I have with this book is that I feel that Haakon is not realistic.  In the first book he is an  unhinged violent man.  In this book everyone forgives him and he becomes a meek and mild man everyone looks up to.  There is a small "conversion" like experience but not in enough depth to make this reader "believe" in the change.  The theme of the book seems to be forgiveness and restoration of relationships.  That is a beautiful goal in any family.  The problem I have is there is a difference between forgiveness and being able to have a relationship again with the person who has harmed you.  In this case Haakon committed an act of violence against his soon to be sister-in-law.  I think the story would have been more authentic if he had just loved her but not been driven to such drastic actions to create a violent scene between Haakon, Aven and Thor.  

This book  is still well written and I would read other books by Joanne Bischof in a minute.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

A Tender Hope by Amanda Cabot

From the publisher:
As far as Thea Michener is concerned, it's time for a change. With her husband murdered and her much-anticipated baby stillborn, there is nothing left for her in Ladreville. Having accepted a position as Cimarron Creek's midwife, she has no intention of remarrying and trying for another child. So when a handsome Texas Ranger appears on her doorstep with an abandoned baby, Thea isn't sure her heart can take it.

Ranger Jackson Guthrie isn't concerned only with the baby's welfare. He's been looking for Thea, convinced that her late husband was part of the gang that killed his brother. But it soon becomes clear that the situation is far more complicated than he anticipated--and he'll need Thea's help if he's ever to find the justice he seeks.

Amanda Cabot invites readers back to Cimarron Creek for a tender story of loss, betrayal, and love in the majestic Texas Hill Country.
__________________________________

This is the 3rd book in the Cimarron Creek Trilogy.  If you have enjoyed the other books you will definitely enjoy this one as well! This story is more than just a "sappy romance." There is heartbreak, mystery and danger as well as romance.  Readers will enjoy the mystery and keep turning the pages to quickly find out what is next.  

This is a good realistic book that will educate readers about the Midwest and the time period of the characters.  I always like this as I gain more than just a good story but also some understanding of the time period.  

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Courting Mr. Emerson by Melody Carlson

From the publisher:

When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it's not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause--and finds herself falling for him in the process.

A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around--which to him seems like all too often. He's not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them.

But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow?

With her signature heart and touches of humor, fan favorite Melody Carlson pens a story of two delightfully eccentric characters who get a second chance at life and love.
________________________________

Melody Carlson introduces this book as if it is a light-hearted romantic comedy (which certainly there are parts of that!) but then becomes a much richer and deeper book.  In this book George and Willow must work through such areas as denial, grief, being an atheist, and other difficult issues.  In real life we know that everything doesn't perfectly work out and this book (while it definitely has a satisfying ending) is not one that ignores the hard in the lives of the characters.

This book is engaging and enjoyable.  It also is a way to learn about certain issues or to work through them with the characters.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse

From the publisher:
With America's entrance into the Second World War, the town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama, has exploded virtually overnight. Workers from all over are coming south for jobs in Uncle Sam's munitions plants--and they're bringing their pasts with them, right into Dolly Chandler's grand but fading family home turned boardinghouse.

An estranged young couple from the Midwest, unemployed professors from Chicago, a widower from Mississippi, a shattered young veteran struggling to heal from the war--they're all hoping Dolly's house will help them find their way back to the lives they left behind. But the house has a past of its own.

When tragedy strikes, Dolly's only hope will be the circle of friends under her roof and their ability to discover the truth about what happened to a young bride who lived there a century before.

Award-winning and bestselling author Valerie Fraser Luesse breathes life into a cast of unforgettable characters in this complex and compassionate story of hurt and healing.
____________________________

This is a novel split between multiple characters. Sometimes this makes it hard to really focus on one character.  But it is also nice because you are able to get different view points of characters.

Dolly's character is layered as you feel that at first she might just be sunshine and roses but as you get to know her you see the layers that are there.  She is the one character that the others all others connect to.

Readers will enjoy learning history as well as the town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama.  The family house turned boarding house was a place anyone would like to stay!

I received this book from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

God, I Know You're There by Bonnie Rickner Jensen Illustrated by Lucy Fleming

I think this book is simply adorable.  The cover might look like not much color but inside each page is bursting with sweet drawings.  There is a child and animal illustrated on each two-page layout.  Boys and girls of different ethnicities grace each page and can appeal to a variety of families. 

Each two page spread shares something that the child "can't" see or do but yet it is true. For example you can't reach the run but you can see it shining down.  Or you can't snuggle the clouds but you can watch them. And at the end it ties it all together with not being able to see God but being able to see Him and His love in all they see. 

I love this little book because it can be a simple story that you can begin deeper conversations with.  I will definitely be giving this to others.

I received the book from the publishers. All opinions are my own.

With This Pledge by Tamera Alexander

From the publisher:

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Clouston's quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause--but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home, where she is governess, is converted into a Confederate hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

  

As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie's arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy's first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.

  

Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers' respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton's walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn't realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie's heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and pledges made, she struggles to be true to her own heart while standing for what she knows is right--no matter the cost. 

________________________________

I lived in the south for about 10 years, and yet this book taught me a part of history that I had never heard of.  The Battle at the Carton home is a true historical account but this was the first time I was introduced to it.  I love that about Tamera Alexander's writing.  She educated you as you read her beautifully written stories.  The horror of the Civil War and what the soldiers and civilians went through will become fresh and real to your eyes as you read this.  I like that each character was not a "normal" North vs South character.  Instead each character is complex and so completely human. I felt that each issue was handled with care and dignity.  

I cannot wait for another novel from Tamera Alexander!

I received this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

The Gift That I Can Give by Kathie Lee Gifford Illustrated by Julia Seal

I love children's book that are well illustrated.  Julia Seal did a beautiful job making this book engaging just from a illustration perspective. And not only that, but she enhanced the writing of this book. 

This book asks a question that I have heard many times as a teacher of young children.  "What's my talent?"  Each person wants to be special, to be good at something, and this book addresses that.  I like that while it did speak so some basic careers that we think of as giftings, it also addressed being kind, brave, helpful.  These seemingly smaller gifts are just as important as the more well known ones and I am glad that this was brought out to the reader.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.